made," thought Nic, who determined to keep
near the black for fear of treachery, as the man strode on in and out
among the trees, while a fresh idea now struck Nic. Suppose the man was
going on to join his companions who had cooeyed to him. It was like
walking into additional danger. Still the boy did not flinch, for fear
of receiving a spear in the back if he turned away.

But he was master for the moment; and growing more and more confident,
he strode on behind the black, heedless of the direction in which they
went, and leaving the end of the case to fate. All he hoped was that,
sooner or later, the savage would suddenly make a dash for his liberty,
when the boy fully determined to scare him by firing over his head, to
make him run the harder.

Nic had some idea that they were bearing toward his home, but he could
see nothing but park-like trees and low wattle bushes; and after this
strange procession had continued for some time he began to grow uneasy,
and to think of taking out his pocket compass to try and make out his
bearings, before stopping short in the first open place to let the black
go on out of sight, covered meanwhile by the gun, when, just as the
sufficiently open place was reached, there came a hoarse cooey from
somewhere close at hand.

Nic stopped short, feeling that he had walked right into the lion's
mouth; and standing ready, with his eyes wandering round, waiting for
the enemy, he listened to the black's reply.

The next minute the black faced round, and the rustling of bushes was
followed by the appearance of a second figure thirty yards away.

Nic threw up his gun, not to his shoulder, but over it; for the figure
was that of the stock man, Brookes, who shouted:

"Oh, there you are, young gentleman. Your mar's getting in a orful way.
She sent Bungarolo to look after you, and then, as he didn't come back,
she sent me."

"Oh!" groaned Nic, in a tone of disgust; for all his bravery, as he
thought it, had been thrown away, and a peculiar sensation of
self-humiliation and shame came ever him.

"Yes, here I am, Brookes," he said. "Then this is a tame black?"

"Tame un?" said the man, with a chuckle. "Oh no, he's wild enough; I
never see one on 'em yet as you could tame. No tame man would go about
without trousers when he's had two pair give him to my sartain
knowledge. He's one as hangs about sometimes."

"But I mean he is not one of the more dangerous blacks?"

"Oh no, I think